Stella Signa
by R.M Sails
Summary: Multiple Pairings. Humanstuck. "Knowing this for many years is a difficult burden to undertake; Because of what we are, we can change what is going to happen. I sincerely hope that we get it right before the rest of the world is vaporized."
1. Chapter 1

_Part One - Staring into the Barrel_

_They stuck together when they were kids, but as time went on they drifted their separate ways, forgetting about what their parents had foretold. Though separated, each one of them seemed to only be a stone's throw away from one another. They each knew if they were in trouble they could count on each other if in danger. And thus was the unspoken rule…_

_/_

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

A lonely figure sat on a cement bench, her back to the rest of the world as she sat in silence. The only sound that emitted from her corner of the world was the tapping of the long metal rod on the floor. It was red, and flaking off in some places, but this was unknown to the girl, she had not seen the color red for many years. Though she sometimes felt it, and even claimed that she could smell it. Despite her lack of site, she insisted that her dark glasses had a tint of red in them. Her shoulder length black hair blew in the wind softly as she thought to herself. Thinking about the world passing by the girl usually gave her great joy, being able to listen to all the happiness around her. But today, she was not listening to the world, she was listening for familiar footsteps. She wanted someone to talk to.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

And then she heard it; familiar footsteps coming from the distant crowd. She stopped the tapping to intently listen, trying to decipher whom the footsteps belonged to. It was not until the figure sat next to her that she was able to tell who it was.

"Vriska." She spoke softly to her friend, a hint of hurt behind her voice, as if she had been crying. When her old friend did not answer, she spoke again. "Your breath is faster than usual, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Terezi." Vriska spoke sharply, her voice like ice. They both fell silent and Vriska scanned Terezi, her gaze drifting towards the symbol for the star sign Libra on the shoulder of her jacket. Though Vriska's long tangled hair covered it, she had a similar sign sewed into the lining of her own. Her black hair fell over one eye, where previously she had sustained an injury and was forced to lay a bandage over it in a faint hope that it would heal. One of her arms had fallen limply on her lap, where it barely moved.

"You are nervous, I can feel it." Terezi retorted to which Vriska scoffed and they both fell silent again. Terezi's ears picked up a few moments later to a familiar sound of footsteps, ones she knew all too well and her blank eyes started to water with tears. At her reaction Vriska was up in a flash, her eye flashing with anger.

"Look, I just want to talk to her." The boy spoke sternly; he appeared to be underweight and worse a long sleeved shirt with the star sign for Cancer on his left forearm. His hair was a mess and his eyes were bloodshot, as if he had not slept in days.

"And _why_ should you be able to?" Vriska snapped, the word 'why' elongated out longer than she had intended, as it often did when she was mad or annoying someone. In this case, she was doing both. "You are a complete bastard, Karkat! After everything you and Terezi have been through? And you break up with her over _text_! Even _I_ would never stoop that low." She snarled at him, cutting him off before he had a chance to open his mouth.

Karkat's hands balled into fists. "You do not have any say about what I do or do not do! Fucking Hell, Vriska! Mind your own God Damn business for once and fucking step aside!" He lost his temper, standing his ground against Vriska, who was nearly a head taller than him.

Vriska's hand trembled inside of her jacket pocket. "Just step the fuck away Karkat." Her voice lowered to a hiss, glaring at him with an icy stare with which Karkat returned with one of his own.

There was an extreme tension in the air, and Terezi could feel it. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, she heard Karkat move towards her, and was suddenly stopped by something she could neither see, nor hear.

"Vriska!" Karkat hissed under his breath, his eyes wide with fear as his entire body trembled.

"You will pay, Vantas, I told you to step the fuck away." She whispered, concealing the barrel of a gun beneath her jacket, aimed directly at his stomach.

/

"Gamzee…? Gamzee are you listening…?" His voice was muddled, as if speaking through a phone with a bad signal. Clear eyes looked up with worry painfully swimming through their gray, almost orange, color.

Gamzee shook his head, trying to clear it. It only made things worse, his vision going slightly fuzzy while he swayed from the sudden motion. "Yeah…" He managed to spit out, fixing his hood carefully over his black, messy hair. "Tav… I'm listening, bro."

"I-I... uh... I'm worried about you…" He stammered, looking nervously at his star sign, sewn onto the shoulder of Gamzee's purple jacket. "You… haven't been yourself, uh, lately and…" He paused, gathering his thoughts and what little courage he had. "I-I… I need to tell you something…" He spoke softly, staring at his feet as he tapped his foot nervously. Though he was only a few inches shorter than Gamzee, Tavros felt as if he was two inches tall.

"Hey. Motherfucker." Gamzee swayed faintly, putting his hands on Tavros' shoulders as he tried to slowly figure out in his mind the best get away. He had started to feel himself on the downhill slide, if he could just turn Tavros and get away to find one of his stashes… "You don't need to worry about a fuckin' think. I'm alright." He gave a weak smile, turning Tavros to the side.

/

Kanaya knew of the unspoken rule. It had been her that established it at a very young age. She always watched over the others, carefully, silently. She seemed to know what was going to transpire, but this was not so. She gained her information by closely observing an old friend. Kanaya was a tall girl, with short black hair and a calming smile, though today she was tense. Across the quad she could see others, the only others that mattered.

A boy and girl walked out of a classroom, hand in hand, dressed a bit lavishly for school attire. But none the less, even they were burdened with their Star Signs. Eridan and Feferi. Though they claimed to be better than the others, but in an outsider's eyes they were merely nothing.

Scanning to the left Kanaya could see her friend Equius meeting up with a rather short girl who bounced a bit when she saw him. Kanaya cracked a small smile for a split second. She grew panicked as she could not find the last two members, and then she remembered, they would be outside of their class soon. Not daring to look to the right, for she knew what was to occur.

The one place no one looked, the right of the quad. Standing there, were Vriska and Karkat.

/

_Breathe._

"V…Vriska…"

_Breathe._

"Don't… I…"

_Breathe. _

"What was that?"

She was laughing.

_Breathe._

Laughing?

_Breathe._

She made the gun click. It was armed.

_Breathe._

"Say goodbye, Vantas."

The look in her eyes…

No. No. No.

And then Karkat found the strength to fight.

_Br_-

/

_Bang_

The sudden loud noise deafened those within ear shot of the outdoor school. In a flash, bystanders did not know left from right, up from down. No one knew what was happening, and caused panic. With one noise released shouting and running. _Chaos._

_/_

It took a moment for Gamzee to fully calibrate what he was seeing, weather it was from the drugs or just the fact it was impossible, he was not sure. Though impossible, there it was before him. There was no mistaking it, no looking away, no looking back, no time to do anything. Not even a tear was shed because of the shock was so horrible. At that moment, _Tavros Nitram_ had crumpled to the concrete in a pool of his own blood.


	2. Chapter 2

_Part One – Staring Into the Barrel  
_

_Has it started yet?_

_..._

With what happened in a flash those mentioned ran for help or to help, as if taking their places on a predetermined stage controlled by a madman. Afterwards, they would describe their actions as 'what they needed to do at the time.'

In shoving Vriska in the last few seconds of his possible chances of living, Karkat had ducked to the ground just as Vriska fell, dropping the gun. Once the initial shock wore off, she wasted no time lunging at Karkat before he could escape. Her fingers wrapped around his neck, and Karkat felt powerless against her. His pleading gray eyes did nothing to stop her, and his futile attempts to get away seemed hopeless.

Terezi stood, tears streaming from her blind eyes as she jumped up. "Vriska!" She screamed after the gunshot had gone off, trying to find her way over to them. Her mind could conjure up pictures of Karkat, dead, on the sidewalk, covered in blood. She let out a sob, expecting her walking stick to hit an unmoving body when someone grabbed her arm. Instinctively, she tried to pull away but a voice stopped her.

"Terezi. It's Fef." Feferi spoke quickly.

"LET GO OF ME!" Vriska screamed at the top of her lungs, thrashing angrily against the one who was restraining her.

"Aradia is holding back Vriska." Feferi told Terezi quickly, her usually bubbly voice had turned dark, like the cruel wind during a light thunderstorm. "T-the others are coming to help… O-Oh my goodness…" Feferi sounded like she had started to cry.

"YOU FUCKING SPIDER BITCH!" Karkat yelled, somehow louder than Vriska. "HEY WH-" He was cut off by Eridan, who made it his job to suddenly restrain Karkat. "GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME YOU FISH LOVING FOREVER ALONE FUCKASS!"

"I am afraid I cannot, Kar." He tightened his grip. "Not wwhile you are so wworked up like this." He spoke calmly through Karkat's threats and shouts.

"Aradia…." Vriska snarled. "You unhand me this moment or I will-"

"Have you not done enough damage?" She spoke quickly, and Vriska fell silent.

"A-And Tavros… o-oh my cod…" Feferi trembled. Terezi stuck close to Feferi, truly scared by the situation they had all fallen into. Tears were streaming down her face; she didn't have the strength to ask what had happened to Nitram.

...

It was strange for him. It felt as if everything was moving in slow motion, but insanely fast at the same time. Once millisecond Tavros was standing, and the next he was on the floor. He knew he hit the pavement hard but somehow didn't feel it. His body felt suddenly cold, as pain to turn to ice in his blood. Someone was speaking to him, but over the ringing in Tavros' ears, their pleas fell in near deaf ears. Everything seemed like he was looking at it from behind a screen, a hazy film over reality as it started to slip away.

"Tavros. Tavros listen to me; you are going to be alright." Kanaya was at his side, she had run over the second she saw him crumple to the floor. She managed to remain calm, for Tavros' sake, though she could not stop the tears from surfacing. "Can you hear me?" She asked, surveying him quickly. "He is going into shock, Gamzee, help me."

"T-Tav…?" Gamzee managed to say, he fell to his knees and watched with horror. "Tavbro…"

"He is lying on the wound, it hit his lower back. We need to get the blood to his head until the ambulance gets here." Kanaya spoke gravely, motioning for Gamzee to help. "He is still breathing, keep talking to him." She took Tavros' hand, squeezing it gently. "Tavros, can you hear me?"

Gamzee shakily nodded, quickly sliding his legs underneath Tavros', doing as Kanaya asked. He was pale with shock as the tears came, smearing his clown make-up. "Tav… c'mon.."

Tavros heard his name, his vision was blurred and the voices speaking to him sounded as if they were screaming in his head. "G-Gam…" He stammered out, for the most part unmoving as a pool of blood started to form around him. His breathing was rapid and harsh, he looked white as a ghost.

"That's it Tavbro… it's me, I'm here motherfucker…" Gamzee held back a sob. "Now, you are goin' to pull off a miracle for your good old bro, right?" Gamzee was shaking, unbelieving of what his sluggish brain told him he was seeing.

"I…" Tavros struggled for words, gasping for breath as another wave of pain shook his body.

"H-Hey…Tavbro… What were you going to tell me?" Gamzee asked, tears blurring his vision.

"Gam… I..." Another gasp, he tensed and his breathing rate increased. "Don't… let me die…"

"O-Of course not, Tav! You aren't dying, no, no way." He shook his head. "You'll live, see? It's not that bad, you are fine, just got a little dizzy is all, just take deep breaths alright? You'll be fine, Tavbro…" He trailed off. "C'mon… don't be a silly motherfucker, now, tell me what you were going to say." He struggled to come up with words as he tried to escape the impossible, now the inevitable.

"Please… I…"

"T-Tav…? T-Tav no…"

...

Sollux had heard the gun shot go off. The teacher whom he had been speaking to had jumped to her feet, running to the door and grabbing any student that passed by. Sollux pushed passed the panicked students, ignoring the teacher that was screaming for him to go back. A somewhat safe distance from any screaming teachers, he stared. He was unbelieving of what he saw through his red and blue glasses. As Karkat screamed, Vriska struggled and Tavros bled, he walked towards them. He stood directly in front of Vriska until she looked up at him. He was crying, tears streaming down his cheeks. Sollux was more than sad, and pissed as Hell. Summoning up ever piece of strength left in him from the draining scene, he balled a hand into a fist and punched the traitor as hard as he possibly could in the face.

"Bitch." He snarled, as Equius ran forward to restrain Sollux from hitting Vriska again.

…


	3. Chapter 3

_Part One – Staring Into the Barrel_

_There is a place we can all go._

_..._

Kanaya sat back in her chair, eyes closed, breathing softly. They were trying to get the story straight; she could hear the police speaking with her friends in the next room. One by one, they were taken away. Those who did not seem to have any direct relation to what transpired, were put in separate office rooms, each going to receive suspension, or possible expulsion. Kanaya and Gamzee were the last to be questioned, as they were the ones who tried to get in the ambulance with Tavros, but neither of them were family, and so they were forced to stay. Someone was on the phone with Gamzee's father outside; the two could hear him yelling through the speaker.

Gamzee was trembling, hearing his father so enraged terrified him. He couldn't get the images out of his dead. _Tavros. Best friend. Tavros bleeding on the floor, dead, dead, dead. _

"…Gamzee?" Kanaya asked quietly, in her hands she was concealing a text she was sending. "Do you still have your phone?"

Gamzee gave a quick nod, his head was still racing. His heart was beating faster than usual, and he felt numb. All of the life had been drained out of him. Tavros' blood stains riddled his jacket, and he was trembling. _Dead dead. All my fault. I moved him. It is all my fault._ His right hand quivered just under his left arm and he winced, the gasped in pain.

Kanaya watched him. "…Give it to me, Makara." She growled, surprising him by grabbing his am and wrenching the sharp object from his hand. She examined the fractured glass in her hand; it was covered in blood and had stains on it running deep into the edges. "…Let me see your arms."

Gamzee shook his head, pulling his sleeves over his hands. "No…" He murmured, a glazed look in his eyes.

Kanaya paused, and tugged back her own sleeve, reveling a long line of old scars from her wrist and down her arm. "It's okay…" She spoke softly, "Just show me."

Gamzee looked at Kanaya, shock written all over his face. "You… I didn't picture you as…"

Kanaya interrupted him, "You know who I am, not my story." She drew her sleeve back over her arm. Gamzee gave a faint nod, painfully pulling his own sleeve back, wincing as the cloth ran over the newly forced cuts. Kanaya took his arm, examining it carefully before taking his sleeve back to its original place. "I have supplies in my van. We need to get everyone we can to it, Gamzee; we are getting everyone out of here. I have a place we can go."

...

Eridan was pissed. Filled up "right to the gills." He at least wanted to be taken to the police station, but he had been deemed "not involved" and now he was separated from Feferi. And she had her phone taken away, so what the glub was he suppose to do? He sat in some office, probably one of the staff's for the school. He stared at his phone in silence until it buzzed, and he skimmed over the text with a sly smirk and a nod. At that moment, the principle walked in.

"Cell phone." He demanded, and Eridan merely gave him an amused look.

"Yes?" He asked smugly, re-reading the text. "This is a phone."

"Give me your cell phone; your parents can pick it up once you have received your suspension letter." He said, holding out his hand bristling with anger. Eridan didn't bother to look up, simply replying to the text he had just received. The principle made a move to grab the cell phone from Eridan's hands, to which Eridan responded by promptly shoving the device down the front of his pants.

"You wwant it?" He jeered, his eyes reflecting with laughter. The principle glared at him intensely.

"If you are not going to cooperate-"

"You'll wwhat?" Eridan rolled his eyes. "You knoww you can't do a glubbing thing to me." Eridan stood, smirking at him just inches away from his face, just daring him to try to do something. At that the principle stormed out of the room, near slamming the door behind him. Eridan smirked at his handy work, walking to the door and unlocking it with his newly acquired keys.

...

Kanaya heard the door click and a quick triple knock. She stood, "That's our way out, let's go." She spoke calmly, motioning for Gamzee to follow her. They crept out into the hallway, quietly shutting the door behind them as they began their search for anyone else. Kanaya glanced at her phone.

_ii am iin room 63. riight next two the health offiice._

Kanaya nodded to the text, motioning for Gamzee to read the text. "Go get him, I need to deal with... Ampora..." she grimaced, noticeably regretting the decision to let him come with them. "Meet by my van in a half hour." she said, heading after Eridan.

Gamzee nodded, he had a severe headache and his entire body was trembling. Though all of this kept him from thinking clearly, he made it to the room Sollux had specified, finding it unlocked.

...

Nepeta was beyond worried. She did not understand why Equius had told her to go and get help, and why he wouldn't let her see what was going on. She had heard the bang, and wondered if someone got hurt, but she wasn't sure. Everyone was in their classrooms, she heard whispers that the police were here. She could not get a hold of anyone, even Equius, who always answered her puuurfect texts.

She sat near the back of the chattering classroom, the window blinds were shut, and everyone had been told to stay away from them. But, as it just so happens, Nepeta sat just so she could see thought he crack in one of the blinds that was every so slightly bent. She had seen cops walk by the room a few times, but other than that no other movement was visible to her.

Nepeta adjusted the kitty ears headband Equius had gotten her, nervously adjusting her deep green jacket around her. She glanced at the star sign on the lining of the right arm of her jacket, whenever really understood what it all meant, but her mother always told her it would make sense some day.

What was that?

...Kanaya?

...

Kanaya made eye contact with her friend on the inside of the classroom. Eridan looked only slightly pissed. "Just leawe her here, she is not inwolwed." he rolled his eyes, "Preferably before wwe are all caught."

"Shh!" Kanaya responded angrily. "We need everyone." she placed her phone in the pocket of her skirt. "Be ready to run."

"Be ready to...?"

Nepeta ran out the door of the classroom, her teacher screaming at her to come back inside; that it was not safe. Nepeta did not listen, and she ran straight for her two old friends.

Kanaya grabbed Nepeta's hand and they ran.

...

"G-Gamzee...we need to go!" Sollux hissed. They had broken into a classroom where Gamzee insisted he needed together something of his. "We will be caught!" he watched the door fearfully.  
R  
"I.. I need this." Gamzee responded, rummaging through a cabinet.

"Jutht hurry up and grab it, then!" Sollux ducked down when someone walked by the classroom window.

"Hang on... I need some...now..."

"Can you wait until we get to Kanayath van?" he hissed.

Gamzee shook his head, turning from Sollux and inhaling a small portion of the contents int he bag. Sollux swore and begged Gamzee to stand so they can run When the two stood up to leave, they were greeted by two police officers standing at the open door.

...

Eridan sat in the back of the van with a sleeping Nepeta. She was so excited, to be leaving school, silly girl. Kanaya jumped into the back of the van, a grim look on her face as she shut the two doors behind her. "Gamzee and Sollux have been caught." she told Eridan, glancing at Nepeta.

"I see..." he paused. "So it is just us then. WWhere are wwe going to go?"

Kanaya's face remained expressionless. "We are going to get them out of the police station."


	4. Chapter 4

Stella Signa  
Part 1 Staring into the Barrel  
Chapter 4

I am afraid it will be quite some time before this makes any sense.

-

"And why is it you were the one being targeted by the suspect?"

"I already told you, Serket is a twisted bitch with an obligation to be freaking insane if someone so much as looks at Terezi the wrong way!" Karkat snapped angrily at the interrogation officer, "I broke up with Terezi, and Serket flipped her shit." his fists were clenched in anger. This was going nowhere; he had recounted the day's events over the limit of what he was ever remotely willing to do.

The officer twitched at his insolence. "And, could you state what transpired when the gun was being pointed at you."

Karkat glared at the table. "She had the gun pointed at my stomach." He growled, feeling like he was going to throw up from the memory. "I shoved her, and at the last second she fired and it hit Nitram..." he shuddered; the entire scene had left a deep imprint, "Now, leave me the fuck alone."

-

Terezi sat in the chair in silence. She had been grateful to Feferi for staying with her to the station, but now that she was to wait in the lobby while Terezi was questioned. Her mind conjured up the worst thoughts; racing with the thought of Tavros being dead, her best friend arrested, her ex boyfriend never speaking to her again. She clenched her walking stick tightly as the tears began to surface again.

-

He sat nervously in the chair; sweat pouring down the sides of his face. Equius was not sure what to say to anyone, he barely understood what happened himself. He went over the scene in his mind a couple of times, but all he could think about was Nepeta. He was sure the school would keep her safe, and everything would be alright. Equius glanced out the window to see a familiar van parked in the lot.

"You do realize that you are the prime suspect in our investigation, do you not?" The officer glared down at the girl with the hair covering her face.

She snorted. "Yeah. Because I am reeeeeeeeally the victim here, it is so obvious!" She mused. On the inside Vriska was screaming_. Tavros. Tavros Nitram had been shot. I shot Tavros. No. No. It was suppose to be VANTAS. He was supposed to be dead, and now, and now Tavros… Tavros is dead…_

Vriska almost jumped when another deputy stepped into the room and her interrogator stood. She looked almost shocked. The two rushed out of the room and locked the door behind them without another word.

"Oh, yeah, leave me on here without a fucking thing to do. Just great!" She snapped at the empty room and slumped down in her chair.

Aradia stood suddenly and Feferi gave her a surprised look. "Aradia…?" She asked, confusion written on her face. "What is it…?" She quickly as Aradia started for the door. "A-Aradia…? We need to stay, they told us to…" She swallowed, nervously looking around.

"It is time to go outside." Aradia spoke simply and opened the door, stepping out of it with Feferi right behind her.

"Wwhat is the plan?" Eridan asked, an almost excited tone added to his voice.

Kanaya turned, staring at Eridan with a venomous look on her face. "If we had time to formulate a plan, we would have discussed it before I parked." He glare sent a shiver of actual fear down Eridan's spine. "Nepeta, stay here, please."

Nepeta made a frustrated sound. "But I was to come and help!"

"Yes, I understand, but it is not safe."

"Wwoah, wwhat isn't safe here? Wwe aren't going to get caught and wwe don't have any wweapons…" He swallowed, regretting his words. Wwhat I-I do mean to point out is that sneaking them out may be out best and only option…"

"Ampora." She stated simply, and almost, _almost_ smiled at his idiocy as she opened a compartment from the floor, and tugged chainsaw from the depths of her automobile.

"Why are we hiding…?" Feferi looked nervous as her and Aradia sat behind a row of cars just outside the station. "L-Look, can we just go back inside before we are cau-"

_WRHERRRRRRRRRRR_

The unmistakable sound of Kanaya's chainsaw ripped through the parking lot. Feferi was too afraid to look as the sound of shattering glass and people shouting nearly broke the freaking sound barrier. She gasped and covered her ears when the gunshots started along with her tears. "K-Kanaya will be killed!" She gasped, Aradia not responding to the sounds just around the cars they were hiding behind.

Kanaya wielded her precious chainsaw with more skill than what was probably legal to admit. She quickly became bored with the people in the parking lot running away, and decided to destroy the glass doors of the police station. Oopse. Now they are going to start shooting.

Eridan foresaw the impending doom for Kanaya, in a few precious seconds he jumped out from behind the parked van. In his hand, was what appeared to be a twig; though, no one would say it to his face. He muttered a few words beneath his breath, running his index finger down the length of the redwood, wilding it with his opposite hand. The wand was now glowing a faint purple, and the purple color traveled from his feet, out from his shadow and joined with Kanaya's shadow.

The bullets that were shot seemed to avoid Kanaya like the plague, as did the people she ran at. Not stopping with a second thought, she charged into the building, terrifying everyone she passed with the wild look in her eyes.

**OFFICIAL POLICE REPORT:** INVESTIGATION PENDING  
**DOCUMENT CLASS:** 567 E  
**STATUS:** SUSPENDED PERMANTLY

**REPORT**:

The individual accounts were filed in the rest of the folder, each with the name of those involved in the actions of the suspect VRISKA SERKET.

All accounts corresponded to convict the suspect.

/ Investigation and Court PENDING. /

All SUSPENDED. Deputy Signature _

Unknown source of SUSPENSION.

Investigation into the suspension: SUSPENDED by FBI Official Signature _

**LEGAL VERDICT FOR THOSE INVOLVED:**

All those involved were sentenced to house arrest for the crimes listed below. Though rough negotiations, the twelve involved will spend the rest of their adolescent career as students at the Arakam Boarding School academy for Felons.

_The list of crimes is so long, you decide it best to stop reading the report at this point._


	5. Chapter 5 Part 1

_Six months ago._

"NNgn..." Karkat groaned deeply as his partner rubbed him just behind his ears, he let out a sigh of pleasure. "Fuck you... fuck you..." He mumbled, becoming relaxed beneath Sollux Captor. the two had been dating for nearly four months now, and occasions like this one were frequent and close together.

"Time and place, KK." Sollux grinned and continued to pleasure Karkat in that one spot. It was his most effective way to get his partner in the mood without removing any clothing.

"Not now, Captor." Karkat growled, shivering from Sollux's touch. He pouted and suddenly pinned Karkat down by his shoulders, firmly pinning him to the bed with a lustful smirk. He nipped at his lover's neck and slid his hands up his shirt.

Karkat was just about to submit to Sollux's will when his pocket buzzed for the third time in ten minutes. "Ignore it..." Sollux hissed and Karkat shook his head.

"It could be my dad... he might need help with the others..." Karkat mumbled and crossed his arms beneath Sollux. "It's fucking difficult to look after my siblings when the old man has to go and work all the time..." Sollux sighed and kissed his cheek, running a hand through his hair. Karkat's face softened, "Not like I mind... " He mumbled, looking away from Sollux.

With a nod of understanding, Sollux fished Karkat's phone from his pocket he scanned over the text. "Nitram texted you about twenty timeth..." He cursed his lisp, usually he was careful in avoiding words that involved his speech impediment.

Giving Sollux a reassuring glance, Karkat grabbed his phone, hurriedly glancing through his texts. "Fuck... Gamzee's gone off the wire again."

"Do you have to go deal with it...?" Sollux asked.

"Unless we want a dead Nitram on our hands, no." Karkat rolled his eyes as Sollux got to his feet and the two headed out of Sollu'x room.

…

Tavros was terrified, he had been hiding inside of a kitchen cabinet for almost a half hour, with his cellphone now dead along with any hope of escape, he sat and waited. When Tavros first heard that Gamzee's father was a high class drug dealer; he never wanted to believe it. Gamzee, whom he had trusted and thought highly of for years, was now addicted to the very thing he despised. It hurt Tavros to see someone he cared for in so much pain, especially since there was nothing he could do about it.

In trying to get Gamzee off of the drugs he went into these withdrawal induced homicidal fits, and Tavros along with the rest of humanity was terrified of them. Only one person dared to approach Gamzee in such a state, and that was Karkat Vantas. All Tavros could figure was the two went way back; farther than he had known Gamzee at the very least.

When Tavros had first entered the house, he knew something was wrong. Some of the expensive furniture was turned over and ripped in places. At first, he had been worried someone had robbed the Makara's and rushed upstairs to see if Gamzee was alright.

Much to his surprise, Gamzee was alright, and angry. He approached Tavros slowly, a murderous look in his eyes. After muttering a honk, Tavros made a run for it. He remembered the others warning him about gamzee's new outbursts, and went to hide in the kitchen, fearing if he went outside Gamzee would follow. Tavros did not want anyone to get hurt.

And so he sat, waiting, hoping Karkat would come. If not, maybe Gamzee would fall asleep and he could sneak out... Maybe by morning he would be okay, or right now, he could have forgotten all about Tavros being there in the first place.

Tavros decided he was going to make a run for it, he placed his ear to the wall and cautiously peeked out through a crack in the small door. He saw nothing and swallowed, starting to second guess himself. He started to open the door, slowly looking out.

"Honk." Tavros nearly had a heart attack at seeing Gamzee suddenly appear in the doorway. He knew better than to do anything quickly so he froze in his place, the cabinet open by an inch or so. He was trembling in fear with his hands over his mouth.

"Honkonk." Gamzee slurred, not noticing the cabinet. "Taaavbro... I know you're here. bessst friend." Gamzee's steps echoed in the large kitchen, and it was then that Tavros saw a large blade in his hand.

Tavros was sure Gamzee would hear his heartbeat racing at how loud it was. he held his breath, tears forming in his eyes with his hands still firmly placed over his mouth. The thought of death terrified him, especially if it was by the hands of a friend.

…

"I'm not going in, KK." Sollux told him, turning off the engine of his parent's car.

Karkat sighed. I figured as fucking much. Thanks by the way." He said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he headed up the the Makara estate.

"No dying, KK!" Sollux called to which Karkat flipped him off and entered the house.

"Nitram." Karkat hissed, cautiously scanning the main entry hall for any signs of movement. "The fuck are you, Nitram?" He called, half whispering. Karkat scanned at the overturned furniture, guessing gamzee was downstairs, as well as Tavros.

"Honk."

Karkat froze where he stood as fear overtook him, he started to panic. "Oh god..." Karkat quickly dashed behind an overturned couch, trying to decide where the sounds were coming from.

"Honk honk."

It seemed far enough away, decided Karkat as he swiftly moved from his hiding spot and headed for the kitchen. "Nitram" He hissed again and stepped in something wet. He looked down and to his horror saw blood on the floor, he turned a pale white and stopped dead where he stood. "F-Fuck..." After a few moments of sheer shock, he took a step back right into the front of another.

"Hello brother." Gamzee greeted, twirling a blunt object in one hand. "Honk, motherfucker." With only a split second to react, Gamzee brought down the item in his hand which just narrowly missed Karkat's head and struck him on his lower back as he had tried to flee.

Karkat cried out in pain as Gamzee struck him, he had attempted a daring dash forward to escape him and just narrowly missed having his head cracked open. He fell onto one knee and quickly pushed himself away from the floor once reality sunk in. A quiet chuckle from Gamzee sent chills down Karkat's throbbing spine. He grabbed the counter in an effort to stand and face his foe. Gamzee's chilling stare made his heart skip a beat. "Makara..." He hissed, turning his back to the knife he was about to grab.

"Honk." Gamzee chuckled. "Honk HONK." He was gripping a hammer tightly in his left hand, Karkat presumed he had a knife hidden somewhere on him due to the amount of blood that was on his sleeves.

Karkat braced himself, one hand on the counter to stabilize himself. He swallowed, watching Gamzee's every movement, every twitch and the turning of the wheels in his brain. Karkat understood the basic strategy of battle, observe your opponent before making a move; even is the move you are to make was passive. He was waiting for gamzee to make the first move, but Gamzee just stared blankly at him.

It was as if Gamzee was starting to come to his senses and Karkat saw his opening. Without a word, he approached the other with extreme caution. Karkat made eye contact with him, swallowing as he shakily embraces his friend.

…

"Is... he safe...?" A worried voice came from around the corner of Gamzee's room.

Karkat turned to face Tavros, "Yeah, he's sleeping." He suddenly stopped. "You're still alive?"

Tavros nodded. "Uh... yeah. I'm going to go in case he wakes up..."

Karkat looked alarmed. "Then what the fuck was with all that blood downstairs?" He demanded.

Tavros looked confused, "What blood...?"

Karkat scoffed, nervous on the inside. "There was a fuck ton of blood on the floor, I assumed it was yours." Karkat stopped dead. "Holy fuck I bet he murdered one of the workers, fuck!" Karkat pushed past tavros and dashed downstairs back into the kitchen. He scanned over the clean surface in shock. "What... the ever loving fuck...?"

"I-I er told you. No blood..." Tavros swallowed. "... Are you feeling okay?"


End file.
